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Health Alert: Rabies
In early 2025, Assist360 responded to a high-risk rabies exposure after an international worker in Somalia was bitten by a bat. With no local access to post-exposure prophylaxis – a treatment that can mean the difference between life and death – we arranged an urgent medical evacuation. Thanks to rapid coordination and care in their home country, the patient received life-saving treatment in time.
Rabies is rare but deadly, claiming approximately 59,000 lives globally each year. It’s almost always fatal once symptoms appear, but entirely preventable with timely intervention. The key to saving lives lies in raising awareness and ensuring people know how to respond immediately to any potential exposure.
Symptoms of rabies
Rabies symptoms usually begin with fever, headache, fatigue, and tingling or pain at the site of the bite. As the virus progresses, more severe neurological symptoms appear, including anxiety, confusion, hallucinations, excessive salivation, difficulty swallowing, and fear of water. Muscle spasms, seizures and paralysis may also develop, eventually leading to coma and death.
Protect yourself from rabies
If you are travelling to high-risk areas or are working with animals, get vaccinated. The vaccine is given as an injection (usually three doses over 28 days), is around 95% effective and usually lasts at least one or two years.
Rabies can only be transmitted through the saliva of an infected animal, typically via a bite or scratch. To stay safe, avoid contact with wild or stray animals, supervise children around animals, and ensure your pets are regularly vaccinated.
What to do if you think you have rabies
If you’ve been bitten or scratched by any animal, act quickly:
- Immediately wash the wound with soap and running water for at least 15 minutes
- Apply antiseptic if available
- Seek medical care immediately
- Inform the healthcare provider that you may have been exposed to rabies
- Begin post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) as soon as possible – this includes rabies vaccines, and sometimes rabies immunoglobulin
Do not wait for symptoms to appear. Once they do, survival is extremely unlikely.
Short-term outlook of rabies
Rabies is present year-round, especially in areas with large populations of unvaccinated dogs or wild animals. The virus is still endemic in parts of Asia, Africa, and Latin America. In many developing countries, limited access to timely treatment remains a serious obstacle to curbing unnecessary rabies deaths. Prevention via vaccination is often more accessible.
Long-term outlook of rabies
Rabies is entirely preventable through effective public health measures such as mass dog vaccination, public awareness, and timely access to post-exposure treatment. However, challenges – like vaccine access, ongoing exposure to stray animals and treatment delays – means rabies continues to be a deadly threat.
Assistance you can rely on
Assist360 delivers expert medical and travel support in the most challenging locations. Our 24/7 team can assist with rabies vaccinations and rapid post-exposure treatment to ensure you and your teams are safe and supported.
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